Love a Freebie?

Keep an eye out for this month's Glamour magazine, which includes a 100ml tube of hair conditioner by the brand Percy & Reed

Today's the first I've heard of the brand Percy & Reed, since Glamour dropped few my letterbox earlier today.

Here's the blurb: "This bottle is packed with moisturising marvels. Blueberry extract, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil and aloe vera gel all combine quite beautifully to hydrate and deeply nourish your hair."

 

 

I was sold at 'moisturising marvels', as my dry, heat-damaged hair is in need of a treat.

But I'm looking forward to trying out this conditioner. And it's come at the right time, just as I've used the last dregs of my trusty Aussie 3 Minute Miracle.

Will you be getting this month's Glamour? What are your hair care heroes? And have you tried anything by Percy & Reed?

Music Monday

Today's Music Monday comes from a germ-ridden Holden household. Eurgh. I've not been too well over the weekend and only just starting to feel myself again. Not like that, though (ooo-er!).

Late last week I was toying with the idea of going to see New York's Thomas Truax tomorrow (Tuesday) night, but whether I'll be well enough to go is another thing.

I've just received Thomas' new album and it's sounding good, but for now...here's an old favourite of mine....

Eeerie, but blimming brilliant. Take a look and let me know what you think.



If you ever get chance to see Thomas live, I thoroughly recommend it. This guy makes and plays his own weird and wonderful instruments (Just Google 'the hornicator) - and if that isn't worth standing in a crowded venue getting hot and bothered for, I don't know what is.

On another note, one of the latest additions to my vinyl collection is this rathy spiffing triple gatefold gem from Kate Jackson - formerly of the rather excellent Sheffield-based Long Blondes.

 This vinyl was limited to 300 copies, numbered and signed, so I was more than chuffed when it appeared in my Christmas stocking.

And if you weren't a fan of Kate's old band (RIP The Long Blondes), beyhold this little beauty of a song...


The band split up a few years back when guitarist Dorian fell ill. I interviewed Dorian and the band for NME and the news really was heartbreaking.

What have you been listening to today? Do post your links and recommendations.

February's Glossybox: What's Inside?

You're probably up to here *raises hand to head level* with reviews of this month's Glossybox, but just in case you're in need another. We all have different opinions on its contents, after all...

The Glossybox: Always beautifully presented

And here's what's inside....

Duwop Venom Gloss in Buttercup, full size £16

This is my first foray into Duwop's range of plumping lip gloss. I've heard a lot about the brand so I was pretty pleased to receive this mini make-up bag sized nude colour. It was tingle quite a bit on application, but isn't that the idea? Colour-wise, this is pretty sheer so I'll probably wear this over a lipstick.

 

imPress by Broadway Press on Manicure in black, full size £17.40

I've never touched falsies, I'm always too worried about what they'd do to my natural nail. But in terms of value, this is quite a good addition to this month's box. Costing £17.40 alone, this makes this Glossybox well worth it if you're a fan of all things nails. Containing 24 nail covers that last up to a week, these press on nails are easily removed and require no drying time.

 

Awapuhi by Paul Mitchell Wild Ginger Treatment Oil, full size £25.95

Aside from shampoo, conditioner and a good brush, I don't meddle too much with fancy schmantzy products. I'm not a fam of what hair spray does to my hair texture-wise and I wouldn't go near anything with 'oil' in its title. Not after I'd washed my hair anyway. I'd be too worried it'd turn the 'do into a grease fest.

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow, full size £7

The pigmentation of this mineral eyeshadow is great and it's quite a nice, wearable bronze/brown shade. While it's only a small pot, this should go far as it's fine in texture and offers good colour pay off.

Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel, full size £20

If I'm honest, I was a bit disappointed about the inclusion of this product. I've tried Como Shambhala (I think it was a body lotion) in a previous Glossybox and I can't say it blew me away. Still, I'll try this in the shower before I make any wild assumptions.

 

 Look out for the March edition of Glossybox, as the team has something very special planned. Visit the website to see what the Glossy girls have in store...
Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What are your thoughts on this month's box? I'd love to know hear what you think.

Urbanista Competition: The Winner is...

Thanks to everyone who entered my Urbanista competition to win this lovely lot of beauty products (pictured below).

I popped all the entries into Random.org and the winner is.....

Mittens

Congratulations!

I'll contact you shortly and send your prize out in tomorrow's (Monday's) post.

A Fresh Start...

I shared the news about my imminent redundancy in a recent blog post and while it's never great to lose your job, I'm seeing it as the chance to make a fresh start.

For the last five years (how time has flown!) me and Mr A Lauren to Herself have been doing the long distance thing; spending our time between our two homes - his in South Yorkshire and mine in Lancashire.

It's been difficult and at at times it's really tested our relationship. But I'm turning the redundancy into a positive and we'll be moving into a place together by the end of May. Aside from the chance for us to finally live together (I can't wait), we'll immediately be much better off. After all, we're currently paying for two lots of rent and bills.

It's taken me a while to get my flat looking just so, but I'll be packing up my belongings and heading to Yorkshire. The great thing is, moving into a new place will mean starting from scratch and 'doing up' a new home.

Here's a few 'homey' things that've caught my eye lately...

I love the traditonal wing back chair, like this fancy little number below.

It reminds me of this retro telephone table I picked up on ebay when I moved into this flat. It cost me all of £20 and it's definitely coming with me when I move...

And I'd have to get one of these to complement the telephone table...

The Mr is a huge food fan, so no doubt he's already dreaming of swapping his boring old white fridge for something snazzily futuristic like this Smeg one...

I'll also be picking up a few more of these vinyl photo frames to proudly display my records in...

Have you ever been made redundant? And did you, like me, turned the news around? How did it work out for you? How do you make a long distance relationship work?

 * Sponsored Post*

Girls Aloud's Kimberley Lends her Face to New Skin Care Range!

I'm not a big fan of celebrity-endorsed products. There's a lot of them and you do wonder just how much input these stars have given when creating their own brand of perfume/skin care/lipstick (delete as appropriate). But if Mr A Lauren to Herself was a lady, he'd be all over this new range by Girls Aloud's Kimberley Walsh. He has quite the thing for the Yorkshire-born lassie.

The stunning Kimberley Walsh - Pic: Google Images

Luxurious Body Lotion

Shimmering Body Oil

 

Kimberley's teamed up with Elegant Touch to launch a new body care range, which includes body lotion, body butter and body scrub and with prices around the £8 mark.

Are you a fan of celebrity ranges like this? Will you be looking out for this new collection?

Pop Your Cherry with Batiste's New Dry Shampoo!

Crude post title, but hey ho! I don't know about you, but I love Batiste. I always carry a mini can of the brand's Blush scent with me. You know, just in case.

So I was thrilled to hear Batiste has launched a brand new fragrance to its dry shampoo line-up - and this one's cherry scented.

Inspired by all things pin up, the new dry shampoo has a lovely scent and cute packaging.

And here it is in all its glory....

Will you be popping into your nearest Boots or Superdrug to pick up a can of this? Are you a fan of dry shampoo?

Don't forget to enter my competition to win a stash of beauty tools from new brand Urbanista!

Valentine's Glossybox: What's Inside and a Mini Review!

I'm a tad late getting this post online. How do I know? The brand posted on Twitter yesterday to let Glossybox subscribers know the February edition is on its way - and here I am only just reviewing January's!

The Glossybox gals got into the spirit of Valentine's Day with a special pink box

There's been a fair bit of debate surrounding the Glossybox in previous months. Some claimed it didn't offer value for money (especially since the brand added a £2.95 charge for previously free P&P), but many die hard beauty fans are still firm fans, enjoying the surprise element regardless.

I've found the boxes a bit hit and miss, if I'm honest. But then surely that's what it's all about - the chance to try new (and sometimes little known brands) without forking out a small fortune for full sized products.

What's inside, then?

In terms of value, I think the February box is pretty good. The boxes tend to be a little different from customer to customer, with some receiving slightly different products. Sabrina from A Little Obsessed, for instance, received two mini Clarins samples in place of an Orly nail polish and the Weleda cleanser and toner.

I, however, was chuffed with my box. It gives me the chance to try something from 5 brands that are completely new to me and there seemed to be a good range this month, including make-up, skin care and nail polish.

Here's a mini lowdown...

FAB Gentle Body Wash

I'm a sucker for pretty packaging, but that's where my love affair with FAB ended. It was pretty much a 'nothing product' - no memorable scent and no luxurious lather. I may as well have been using a bottle of Dove shower gel for 99p, which I'm guessing would've been a bit cheaper than this.

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Plum

Now this was a major disappointment. Eyeko's one of those make-up lines I've heard loads about and I was particularly interested in its recent, more mature rebrand. Looks a bit like Topshop make up though, doesn't it? This plum eyeliner could've been perfect for my green eyes, but it offered little pigmentation which saw me scratching at my eyes for some colour pay off. Poor. I'd be interested to know if any other shades offered more in the way of colour...

Mini Weleda One Step Cleanser and Toner

I'm not sure how many uses I'll get out of this minuscule bottle (I'm guessing about two) but I'm looking forward to trying this product, which claims to cleanse and tone in one go. I've never tried Weleda, but a work colleague swears by the brand so I'll definitely let you know if I'm impressed too.

Mini Orly Nail Polish in Ruby

I love that the Glossybox girls included a red nail polish in the Valentine's edition. The perfect dark red shade, it applied easily and needed just two coats. Lovely stuff.

 

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer

I've yet to try this but having heard and read loads of good stuff about Murad, I'm certainly looking forward to giving it a go. Have you tried it yet?

Did you receive February's Glossybox? Or are you signed up to a different monthly subscription box? Do you think the box is value for money or have you cancelled your subscription?

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Friday Favourites!

It's been a couple of weeks since I last shared my Friday Favourites with you. Things have been a little hectic of late; myself and the rest of our office were told we'd be out of a job by May a few weeks ago, so we've all been busy submitting our CVs and attending interviews. I'm staying positive and actually feeling quite excited that I don't know where I'll be come May. A new start and all that!

But without further ado, here's what's been making me smile in the blogging world this week....

Kristabel visits Notting Hill's Portabello Market - one of my favourite London haunts...

Franky explains which shade of Chanel lipstick added the finishing touch to her wedding outfit...

Photo credit: Eliza Claire. Do pop on over to Franky's blog to read all about her big day, too.

Tali reveals her top picks amongst the latest MAC collection...

Ruth lets us all have a sneaky peek in her bathroom drawer...

Clare takes a trip to Scotland's beautiful Loch Lomond...

And finally....

Another stunning oufit, as put together by Harriet...

Which blogs have you enjoyed this week? I love discovering new reads, so do leave your links below.

Happy Friday everyone!

x

The Cheek Of It: Miners Release New Blush, Bronze and Highlight Sticks!

As someone with oily, temperamental skin, I've never been a huge fan of cream-based facial products. In fact, I've only just got used to a wearing moisturiser (MeMeMe's Seventh Heaven, which by the way is fantastic - more on this soon!) so unfortunately I wasn't about to go slapping Miners' new additions - The Cheek Of It Bronze, Blush and Highlighter sticks on my blemish-prone skin.

But I have to say, Miners' new twist up make-up sticks do look quite lovely, especially the rose pink blush shade.

That said, I'm still not brave enough to slap them on my skin...so I've given them to some work colleagues to try.

I have, however, swatched them on my wrist and pigmentation-wise, these seem great.  At £3.99 each they're also fairly pocket-friendly.

Here's the product blurb:

"Specially created to enhance your complexion, The Cheek Of It is a range of pretty cream face sticks. This cheeky product is wrapped up in a handy twist up stick to ensure easy, mess free application on the go and the compact size makes it perfect for popping into your handbag."

From left to right: Miners Bronze Stick, Cream Stick Blush and Highlighter

The Cheek Of It Face Sticks are available online for just £3.99 each. Will you be adding one of these to your make-up bag or are you not a fan of cream products either?

FTC Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for review consideration. I am in no way affiliated with the brand, neither was I paid to write this review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, as always.



WIN: Urbanista Beauty Products up for Grabs!

Beauty tools: we all use them. In fact, I doubt any of us ladies go a day without picking up a pair of tweezers, a nail file, blusher brush or hairbrush.

With that in mind, I've teamed up with a brand new beauty brand on the block - Urbanista - to offer my subscribers the chance to win a job lot of funky new beauty tools, including a big paddle hair brush, a foot file, nail file, clippers, blusher brush, tweezers and more.

What I love about Urbanista - a new brand from Murrays Health and Beauty - is how bright and cheery all the products look. Who said tweezers have to be plain silver?

Want to win this lovely lot?

Rules of Entry

* You must be a subscriber of my blog - please pop on over to the right hand column and hit 'subscribe' if you haven't already

* Leave me any comment below with your email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner

* The closing date for all entries is February 24th at 12pm

Good luck everyone!

New Year, New Miners Lippies!

Tried and trusted shades feature alongside some fresh new colours in Miners latest lipstick range  - a brand new collection for 2012!

The brand's promotional flyer reads: 'New Year... New Lippy'. Well, how about 16 new lippies? That's right, the cosmetics company we all know and love from our youth (anyone remember getting Miners products stuck to their copy of Shout or Mizz magazine as a teen) has started 2012 with a bang and introduced not one, not two, not 10, but 16 new lippies to its collection.

And let me tell you, for just £3.99 each the quality of these little beauties is outstanding.

I've tried quite a few Miners products in my three years as a beauty blogger but the brand's lipsticks have always stood out. Ruth of A Model Recommends is also smitten with Miners recent matte lip colours.

Now for a closer look, then...

The Matte Effect collection, from left to right: Barely Buff, Fiesta, Wonderland and Vixen

I'm not a big fan of matte lip colours; my lips are always in such bad nick that they never look flattering. In terms of pigmentation though, these lipsticks are lovely - and well worth their £3.99 price tag.



Moisture Effect Collection, from left to right: Hush Hush, English Rose, Kiss Me Quick and Moulin Rouge

"An entirely new moisturising lipstick collection infused with Aloe Vera and Jojoba, Moisture Effect will simply glide onto lips to lock in moisture whilst leaving them saturated with juicy colour."

As far as 'juicy colour' goes, these lipsticks are great. They do glide on and they have a lovely, fruity scent. What I would say is they do stain the lips, which is either a plus or negative point - depending on what you're after.



And finally...

The Lip Colour collection, from left to right: Dreamer, Seduction, Cinnamon and Mulled Wine

The Lip Colour range (I have been sent 4 of a collection of 8) is just stunning, beautifully formulated and some wearable shades. I love Seduction and Mulled Wine, in particular but Cinnamon is also worth a try if you like a statement lip.

After spending what felt like an age trying all the new shades on, I have a few new favourites - Mulled Wine, Wonderland and English Rose. I have, however, learned that a nude lip definitely does nothing for me.

Which colours have taken your fancy?

FTC Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for review consideration but I was not obliged to write about them. I am in no way affiliated with Miners, neither have I been paid to write this post. My opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always.

Wahanda Spa Voucher Competition: And the Winner is...

A big thank you to everyone who entered my Wahanda competition to win a pampering voucher to spend at a spa of your choice.

The votes have been counted and verified... Ahem, I mean the entrants have been added to a hat and a work colleague has selected a winner.

Congratulations to.... Sugarpufffish!

Pictures: We Heart It

Please email me and I'll make sure you get your prize asap.

Happy Valentine's Day for tomorrow everyone!

Last Minute Valentine's Gift Guide!

Ladies: if you're looking to leave some sneaky hints for your fella ahead of Valentine's Day next week (Tuesday, February 14th), you may just spot the perfect gift here. Fellas, if you're reading this too - take note!


There's been several colour variations of these Vivienne Westwood jelly shoes, but I think these salmon pink ones are my favourites. Love them too? They're available here  for £120. Bit pricier than the cheap jelly shoes we all remember from our youth, but worth splurging on them if you know you'll get your wear out of them....

As I've said before on my blog, I'm not the biggest fan of Valentine's Day. But I am a big fan of LUSH - and I wouldn't kick this PS I Love You gift set out of the bath (boom, boom!).

Featuring It’s Raining Men shower gel and the chocolate centred Soft Coeur massage bar, this little beauty costs £16.95 in store or online.

I can't say I've had a sniff of this one, but how cute is this peacock-inspired Anna Sui perfume?

Anna Sui Night of Fancy (50ml) is just £17.50 from The Fragrance Shop. That's apparently £18.50 off the RRP! Featuring notes of Living Blueberry, Grapefruit Leaves and Wild Strawberries, it's a "sensual, fresh and fruity fragrance."

I've never tried a Vera Wang fragrance, but being a bit of a girly girl I'm always drawn to the pretty heart-shaped bottle. I'm a marketing manager's dream!

Vera Wang Princess Night (30ml) is £33.50, also from Fragrances Direct. Plus, you'll get a free Vera Wang Princess Tote Bag with your purchase!

Love all things natural? This gift set from Spieza Organics will be right up your street, £34.95 online.

Purchase this and you'll also receive a Receive a free 'Soft Touch' mini gift set  - just add the 'Soft Touch' to your basket.



And one for the boys...

These cute cufflink sets can be bought online from Sonia Spencer. Just make sure you place your order by close of play today (Friday) for delivery in time for Valentine's Day.

Doughnut of Desire Cufflinks, £29.95

Guess Who Cufflinks, £25.95

And while I can't say I'm a big fan of February 14th, if I have a secret admirer out there who wants to send me a gift I certainly wouldn't complain... ; )

A Valentine's gift guide wouldn't be a Valentine's gift guide without red Roses. And seeing as I work as a copywriter for two flower companies - Flowers Direct and Flying Flowers I thought it was well worth mentioning the companies' great value Valentine's bouquets....

This Flowers Direct bouquet contains 12 red Roses and Gypsophila - just £19.99!

Or the beautiful Little Kisses is just £19.99 and includes FREE delivery over at Flying Flowers.

Or why not opt for a rose on a ring? This pretty floral statement piece from Coco Rose is £22. The website also stocks a great range of fold up shoes, perfect if your chap is taking you dancing on V Day.

Red Rose Ring, £22, Coco Rose

Have you seen anything you fancy for Valentine's Day?

And will you be getting your boyfriend anything? I'm not at all romantic and hate anything too lovey dovey, so my fella's getting a caserole dish. He loves to cook and he needs a new one. Simples!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone

x x x